


Somewhere Safe and Warm

by Liibra_nix



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Haurchefant is worried, Injury, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, no thoughts justs good vibes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29143494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liibra_nix/pseuds/Liibra_nix
Summary: The Warrior of Light finds herself injured and half-frozen after a long and arduous battle.Thankfully, she will always have a place to return to.
Relationships: Haurchefant Greystone & Warrior of Light, Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	Somewhere Safe and Warm

The adventurer trudged through the icy path, shoulders slumped. Her eyes remained focused, taking in the pleasant glow of the lamps inside Camp Dragonhead. The light was heavily diminished by the raging torrent of snow that screamed in her ears. The promise of food and shelter was so close. Only a few more steps…

Her vision began to blur together. Exhaustion threatened to overcome the warrior, whose heavy armor and cloak slowed her steps. By sheer will, she pushed against the storm. The gates were only a few steps ahead of her. A pair of guards recognized her figure in the squall. One shouted something over his shoulder that the adventurer couldn't hear, while the other rushed forward to help her inside the camp. 

Just as she made it past the gates, the fog of fatigue pulled her into unconsciousness. 

Only a few moments later, the frenzy and shouting around her roused her from slumber. She was resting in someone's arms, held tightly. The person was warm. They smelled like campfire smoke and pine. The sound of a door shutting behind her was enough to completely awaken her from the stupor of weariness. She glanced up to discover that Haurchefant had carried her into his office. His face was grim, worry written plain across his face. 

Immediately, her cheeks flushed scarlet. The situation was completely embarrassing. Before she could react, he set her down onto a sofa near the fireplace. She sank into it, and felt the warmth of the fire thaw her half-frozen limbs. Her armor cut into her side, but it was ignorable. 

"What happened to you?" 

The warrior's mind had been racing with a million thoughts, so it was startling to hear Haurchefant speak. When she peeked at his face, it was gravely concerned. Only then did she realize how awful she must look.

"Oh, it's really not that bad," she tried to sound reassuring. "I went on a hunt just between Twelveswood and Coerthas. The Dark Divinity had been sighted around the area recently. I killed him eventually, but it took four days and nights. I was stubborn and… tracked him without sleeping or eating much more than a handful of berries." Her voice trailed off. After saying it out loud, she realized how hellish the whole endeavor sounded.

Haurchefant gazed at her with an agonizing expression of concern, with just a hint of amazement. 

"I would scold your recklessness, but I'm more relieved you are back in one piece." He sighed and smiled.

She gave a small laugh, and noticed the armor digging into her side. Wearily she started to remove her gloves so that she could unequip more easily. Her exhaustion had not relented, and even the simple task of holding up her arm was taxing.

"Please, let me help you."

Haurchefant reached over and took her hand, working away at all the fasteners on the gloves. As he slid her hand out from the gauntlet, he spoke.

"I can't remember the last time I was so worried. You looked like you were terribly injured, and I couldn't help but imagine the worst." He paused, as if weighing his words. 

"Next time you do something dangerous like that, let me come with you."

The adventurer smiled softly. It was unusual for someone other than herself to worry about her well-being. As a matter of fact, the Scions had sent her off to go find the primal without a second thought. They hadn't even contacted her linkpearl. 

That's what made Haurchefant so special. When she ran into dangerous territory or battled with terrible foes, he would be there to listen to her stories and make sure she had somewhere safe to come back to at the end of the day. 

She unfastened the cloak around her neck and tossed it to the side so that he could reach the armor adorning her shoulders. It was scratched and dented in some places. As Haurchefant unfastened it from her shoulder, the adventurer winced. The fiend's sword had struck her shoulder earlier that day.

The reaction did not go unnoticed, and Haurchefant gently pulled the sleeve of her now armor-free blouse up to the location of the wound.

"By the Fury, I'll go and find some bandages. Wait here."

Haurchefant hastened to a cabinet in the back of the room with an expression of disbelief on his face.

Surely it can't have been that bad. The warrior thought to herself as he glanced at the gash in her shoulder. She shuddered at the deepness of the tear. Most of her shoulder was bruised a deep purple and blue. A heavy slash marred the skin, dark stains of blood surrounding it.

Impossible...I hardly felt it!

With bandages and jars of rubbing alcohol and ointment, the Elezen sat beside her and repositioned the sleeve of her shirt so that he could work freely. 

"This might sting a bit," He motioned to the rubbing alcohol. "Do you need something to bite down on?" 

She shook her head. When the alcohol soaked cloth made contact with her skin, she clenched her teeth. Her hands gripped the side of the sofa with enough force to snap wood but she remained perfectly still. Haurchefant shook his head in disbelief, eyes wide with awe.

"I'll never understand how you do that! Plenty of my most hardened soldiers would have cried out in pain."

"Eh, it's something you get used to." She answered with a light chuckle. 

As he bandaged the injury, Haurchefant asked the warrior to recount her battle with the primal. Gradually all signs of worry disappeared from his face, replaced with contentment and admiration. Her animated narrative did much to lighten both of their spirits. By the end of the tale, the hero was fatigued. Haurchefant had helped remove the remains of her armor, leaving only her light blouse and a pair of black trousers. 

Just before Haurchefant could offer her some food or a change of clothes, he glanced back at the sofa to find her unconscious. In sleep, the adventurer was truly at peace. No thoughts of battles to come or hardships to endure plagued her mind. Haurchefant smiled gently. 

From a drawer nearby, he found a large, fluffy blanket that would keep the warrior warm throughout the night. He draped it carefully around her small figure before retiring to his own room.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
